Watchcase



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JNO. F. WATSON, OF CLERKENVELL, ENGLAND, ASSIGEOR TO JAMES ADAMS, OF SAME PLACE, ASSIGNOR TO BIGELOW', BROTHERS AND KENNARD AND PALMERS AND BATGHELDERS, ASSIGNORS TO BALD\VIN & 00., OF NEIVARK, NEW JERSEY.

WATCHCASE.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 19,972, dated April 13, 1858.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN FORREST TAT- son, of St. Johns Square, Clerkenwell, in the county of Middlesex, England, and a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in )Vatchcases, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, refer ence being made to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a watchcase embracing my improvements. Fig. 2 represents a vertical view of the same in the line X X showing the connection between the inner and outer case. Fig. 3 rep resents a modification of the mode of connecting the watch with the case; Fig. 4, a section of the same; Fig. 5, a second modification of the mode of connecting watches with the case; and Fig. 6 represents a section of the same.

My improvements in watch cases relates to that class known as magic cases, which consist of an interior and exterior case. The interior case holds the works of the watch and is furnished with a metallic back and a glazed front; the exterior is composed of a ring for holding the body of the watch, with an open frame hinged to one side and a closed back to the opposite. The pendant is attached to the interior case and passes through a socket in the ring of the outer case. The inner case is so arranged that it can be reversed in the outer case by being taken out, so that in one position it presents the appearance of an open face watch, the dial showing through the open frame, and in the opposite, that of a hunting watch, the dial being covered by the closed back, and the back of the interior case fitting the opening in the frame.

My improvements consist, first, in attaching the pendant (D) or handle to the outer case (B) instead of, as has heretofore been done, to the inner or body of the watch, which admits of the inner case being swiveled to the outer, so that without taking it out its position can be reversed, and thus make either an open face or a hunting watch, and also admits of the outer case being made more compact, lighter, and of course less expensive, while it posseses the strength and durability of the old form of cases; second, in arranging the pivots on which the body of the watch turns or springs by which it is held to the outer case in such position that when the dial is shown through the open frame the figure XII will be opposite the pendant as in all open face watches, and when the body of the watch is reversed the figure XII will be upward at right angles to the pendant, as in all hunting watches.

In the accompanying drawing is represented a watch case embracing my improvements, which consists of an interior and exterior case. The interior case holds the works and forms the body of the watch and is provided with a glazed front (0) over the dial plate and a metallic back ((Z). The outer case or frame consists of a central ring (B) in which the body of the watch is placed and to which is hinged on one side, and an open frame (C), to the opposite a closed back (A) and a pendant or handle (D) is attached to the ring opposite the hinge to the closed back. The body of the watch is pivoted to the ring (B) of the outer case, so that it can revolve within this ring when the front and back are open, thus bringing the dial opposite the frame (C) or the closed back (A) so as to make either an open face or hunting watch.

The pivots (a) are attached to the body of the watch directly opposite each other, half way between the figures XII and III and IX and VI of the dial plate. The bear ings for the pivots are arranged in the ring so that the figure (XII) (marked in red) is opposite the pendant when the dial faces the open frame, or at right angles to it when it faces the closed back of the outer case as seen in Fig. 1 (marked in black). A guide projection (b) on each side of the body of the watch fits into a corresponding groove (0) in the interior of the outer case and steadies the watch.

The several modifications I propose in the manner of connecting the body of the watch with the outer case are represented in Figs. 8, 4c, 5 and 6.

The outer case is constructed in the manner previously described, but the inner case instead of being pivoted to the outer is con fined by springs and by a projection or flange around the body of the watch,

which rests on the edge of the outer case. The arrangement of these springs in relation to the figures on the dial is the same as that of the pivots and previously described, but the sockets into which they enter in the ring are opposite on the same side and 90 from each other on opposite sides, so as to bring the figure XII in the right position opposite the pendant in one case and at right angles in the other. One of these springs is acted on by a stop (h), as in Fig. (3), or by a slide (9), as in Fig. (5), when it is required to release the body from the case and take it out for the purpose of put ting it in the opposite side in order to convert the watch into an open face or hunting watch.

Having thus described my improvements In testimony whereof, I have hereunto 30 subscribed my name.

JOHN FORREST WATSON.

Witnesses:

JOHN R. DARKLE, F. L. CAMPBELL. 

